Topic: Stroker Ace

[Dragonfire]

Stroker Ace



Racing champion Stroker Ace (Burt Reynolds) is one of the most respected NASCAR-circuit drivers. So how come everybody's laughing? Could it be that chicken suit he's wearing, maybe?

Reyonlds rejoins director Hal Needham (Hooper, Smokey and the Bandit) for another engine block-buster. When Stroker signs a sponsor contract with a sly fried-chicken magnate (Ned Beatty) without reading it, he feels like a dumb cluck: now he must cut ribbons at fast-food outlets, hawk chicken on TV and wear that dumb outfit - even when driving. Jim Nabors, Parker Stevenon and Loni Anderson co-star in this ace-high action comedy.

My Thoughts

I first saw this one years ago on television.  I remember liking it a lot then and I would watch it whenever I found it on television again.  I have the movie as part of a 3 movie set along with Hooper and Sharky's Machine.  I watched the movie for the first time in years recently.  I still managed to enjoy the movie overall, though I see more flaws in it now than I did when I originally saw it.

Within the first few minutes, it is clear that Stroker is arrogant and basically a jerk even though he is a fan favorite driver.  He likes to have a good time and he doesn't take much of anything seriously.  He doesn't even care about ticking off his sponsor, which is how he ends up in the mess with Clyde Torkel.  Stroker signs the massive contract without reading it and ends up forced into making all kinds of appearances and even wear a chicken suit.  The plot is very thin, though it is entertaining to see Burt Reynolds in the chicken suit.  Some of what happens is funny, though many of the attempts at humor don't work that well.  A lot of what happens is silly or just stupid. 

Several racing scenes are used in the movie.  I don't know a lot about racing, but it seems accurate.  There are some crashes which add a bit of excitement to some scenes.  Footage from some actual races is used.  Sometimes the footage blends in well and other times it stands out because of the difference in the picture quality.  Stroker ends up having a rivalry with another driver for no particular reason.  I think that was supposed to add some complications but that part of the plot isn't developed enough to be complicated. 

The characters are sort of interesting, though none of them are developed that much.  Stroker is basically a jerk who chases after every woman he sees.  He does start to act a little better later in the movie.  He is the most developed character, but he is still very flat.  The cast is fine in the parts, though nothing special.

The movie manages to be entertaining, though it has issues.  It won't appeal to a lot of people.  Fans of the cast might find something to like.



I did post a review on Epinions if anyone wants to take a look.

Stroker Ace

[Antares]

This was the film that began Burt Reynold's slide to obscurity back in the early 80's. By the time of this film's release, Reynolds had become a caricature of sorts, and the screenplays of his films after this, reflected that.

[Dragonfire]

I was thinking it was.  And I read that he turned down some other fairly big role to do this.  I can't remember which other movie now, but I think it was more successful...and..well...a better movie.

[Najemikon]

There was a time you couldn't really pick between Burt Reynolds and Clint Eastwood. Really weird to think it now and Eastwood did well to come back from it considering most of his really bad choices were ones he directed himself and he insisted on putting Sondra Locke in! They both hit rock bottom with City Heat.

[Dragonfire]

I didn't realize until more recently just how many movies Eastwood used Locke in.  It seems like those were the only movies she made. 

I know there were some Eastwood movies I saw that weren't as good, but he did do a good job of establishing himself as a good director.  He's directed some amazing movies.

[Jimmy]

She is certainly not a bad actress, seriously she got an Oscar nomination for her first film in 1969 (Best Actress in a Supporting Role for the movie The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter), she did a good performance in Willard and Impulse a film she made in 1990 is one of the best thriller of the nineties.

In fact Clint Eastwood is more responsible for the destruction of her career than the reverse.

[Dragonfire]

I only remember seeing the Eastwood movies she was in.  She was ok in some of them, but there were others that I didn't think she did as well in..though that could have been the material too.

[Najemikon]

Eastwood's first directed film was Play Misty For Me, which is excellent. Then you have his other 70s work and it was about this time that Reynolds was making a real impact. Both of them seemed to lose their heads when the 80s hit. Reynolds only looking to the short term comedy stuff (which, frustratingly, I really like! It's just... Deliverance. We needed more of that) and Eastwood directing himself into a corner. Then as I said, City Heat, and that was pretty much it. Clint milked his icon status and that carried him through, but nothing else of note for either of them, until Eastwood came back with Unforgiven and he hasn't looked back since. I really do feel sorry for Burt. I always liked him and occasionally, he crops up in something and shows his worth (Boogie Nights).

Maybe Tarantino can give him some work. That would be awesome.

[Dragonfire]

Unforgiven was good.  That was really the really good movie directed by Eastwood that I saw.  I still haven't seen Play Misty for Me.
He's been doing some wonderful movies in recent years.  Depressing at times, but still wonderfully made movies.

I have liked some of Burt Reynolds stuff too.  I even watched the tv show he was on for a while.  That was ...hmm...late 80s and into early 90s I think.  Maybe.  I can't remember for sure now.  I think the show got canceled after his marriage to Loni Anderson fell apart.

[Antares]

Really weird to think it now and Eastwood did well to come back from it considering most of his really bad choices were ones he directed himself and he insisted on putting Sondra Locke in!

I don't agree with this statement.

Here are the films he directed between Play Misty for Me and Unforgiven...


The Rookie (1990)
White Hunter Black Heart (1990)
Bird (1988)
Heartbreak Ridge (1986)
Pale Rider (1985)
Sudden Impact (1983)
Honkytonk Man (1982)
Firefox (1982)
Bronco Billy (1980)
The Gauntlet (1977)
The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)
The Eiger Sanction (1975)
Breezy (1973)
High Plains Drifter (1973)

Green = Good to very good film
Orange = Average, but entertaining film
Red = Bad film

Sondra Locke appeared in four of those films, The Outlaw Josey Wales, The Gauntlet and Bronco Billy, with Sudden Impact being the only turkey.

In fact Clint Eastwood is more responsible for the destruction of her career than the reverse.

Actually, it was more of her attitude when she broke up with Clint that killed her career. She came across as a cold-hearted shrew when they split.

They both hit rock bottom with City Heat.

Agreed

[Dragonfire]

That break up was messy.  From what I remember hearing, Clint started an affair with ...rats..can't remember her name at the moment...she was in Unforgiven..while still involved with Locke.  I remember seeing her on a talk show a few years later...well..maybe several.  Anyway, she had written a book and was promoting it.  She didn't say a lot about Clint, though what she did say wasn't exactly nice.

[Antares]

Frances Fisher

[Dragonfire]

Yup..that's her.  I just couldn't remember her name for some reason.